Accepting Robin
by Yukirei
Summary: Zoro had disliked the woman at the start. Spoilers for Alabasta arc.


**Accepting Robin  
**_By Yukirei (a.k.a. Cosmiko Ling)_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece or any of its characters. One Piece belongs to Oda Eiichiro-sensei. This is a non-profit fanfiction written by a fan, for the enjoyment of other fans.  
**Warning: **Spoilers up to Alabasta arc  
**Summary:** Zoro had disliked the woman at the start.  
**A/N:** This takes place a few days after the Straw Hat pirates leave Alabasta. Inspired by the end of the Alabasta arc.

* * *

Zoro had disliked the woman at the start. She had been enemy, had stood at Crocodile's side and done nothing while Crocodile humiliated Vivi and laughed at their helplessness. The only reason he hadn't drawn a sword from its sheath, placed it at her throat and ordered her to spit out whatever motive she harboured in boarding their ship was because Luffy agreed to let her be part of their crew. And as Captain, Luffy's was the final word.

That didn't mean he was going to start trusting her. Zoro only trusted his own instincts - they had always served him well, whether in battle or in judging human character - and his instincts told him that this woman was hiding something.

He was incredulous when the love-cook was all over her, showering her with desserts and coffee and copious amounts of hearts. And the cook called _him_ dumb; it was clear who the idiot was. But then, he remembered that the cook hadn't met her in Alabasta and probably didn't know who exactly she was. Then again, the cook was idiotic enough to behave like the love-moron he was even if he knew, simply because she was a 'lady'.

Strangely though, it was to Sanji that he voiced his concerns about Nico Robin a few days after they left Alabasta. Not to Chopper, because there was something wrong in making the little furball anxious and worried, and besides, Chopper visibly already saw Robin as a friend and would only try to erase any unhappiness rather than act on its reason. Not to Usopp, the loudmouth that he was; moreover, Usopp was the kind of guy who once you climbed over the initial barrier, easily dropped his defences. Not to Nami, because the witch had clearly been bought over by the treasures Robin had brought along with her and the vast knowledge she had to offer about the Grand Line; she would probably demand payment for listening to what he had to say anyway. And certainly not to Luffy, because when Luffy makes up his mind about something, he never changes it.

He hadn't originally intended to tell the cook either. Even though he supposed Sanji would have encountered his fair share of villains onboard his sea restaurant, patronised by both pirates and marines, to understand suspicion and there really wasn't anyone else to talk to about it, the idiot could really be so _blind_ when it came to women. Still, Zoro blurted it out one day when the cook came out onto the deck to wake him up from his mid-morning nap.

"Oi, shitty swordsman. It's lunchtime. Don't keep Nami-san and Robin-chan waiting." Sanji shoved the side of Zoro's head lightly with the toe of his shoe.

" 'Robin-chan', 'Robin-chan'. Do you really think you should be calling that devious woman so affectionately?"

"...What's your problem, seaweed head?"

"Argh. Doesn't anyone else sense the danger of having her on the Merry?"

"Robin-chan?"

"Yea, your 'Robin-chan'. You never encountered her directly at Alabasta, idiot cook. You wouldn't know what happened, what she was like then."

Sanji was quiet for a moment. Then, he suddenly sat down on the deck beside Zoro, placing a cigarette between his lips and lighting the end.

"I wasn't there when she was, but that doesn't mean I had no idea what happened at Rainbase. I saw the look on Vivi-chan's face when I met her. It told me enough."

Sanji paused briefly, taking another drag of his cigarette.

"But Luffy said she wasn't a bad person. Has your seaweed-filled head ever considered that perhaps he knew something about her that we don't?"

Zoro watched as the surrounding air turned hazy with cigarette smoke. "She's hiding something from us anyway. I'm sure of it," he said stubbornly. "My instincts tell me so."

Sanji didn't argue with Zoro's instincts. He simply said as he stood up, "Doesn't everyone hide something or other?"

Zoro's fingers unconsciously brushed over the handle of his white katana. Then, he looked up at Sanji. He wasn't sure if he had looked at the cook from this angle before.

"Move it, shitty bastard. If you want any lunch, you'll have to get there before Luffy finishes your share."

Zoro watched the cook sashay toward the galley, then got to his feet and trudged after him.

The galley was as raucously lively as it always was during mealtimes.

"Oo, Oro! Anii! (Ou, Zoro! Sanji!)" Luffy greeted as Sanji walked in and Zoro appeared at the doorway. His cheeks were puffed up like a hamster hoarding food (which was not dissimilar to what he was actually doing).

"Sanji! Help us here!" Usopp cried out, desperately trying to hold down Luffy's hands that were resolutely attempting to reach for other plates, especially the two unattended ones.

"Zoro... sorry, we couldn't save all your food." Chopper looked up at Zoro with watery eyes.

Sanji kicked Luffy in the back of his head, sending his face into the empty licked-clean plate in front of him.

Zoro laid a hand briefly on the reindeer's hat as he sat down in the empty seat beside him, muttering, "It's alright. Thanks for trying."

Luffy swallowed the food in his cheeks in one massive gulp and then twisted his head around to look dolefully at Sanji. "But I'm still hu~ngry~" he whined miserably.

Sanji cast a glance at the reduced portion of food in his and Zoro's plate. "You've already had a lot," he barked, and then crossed to the stove.

Luffy sulked. His eyes darted to Sanji's back and then to Sanji's plate...

An arm suddenly sprung up from the tabletop, grabbing the wrist of the hand that was stealthily stretching across the table.

"Uwah! Robin's as mean as Sanji!"

Usopp, Chopper and Nami looked momentarily surprised. Then Usopp snickered, Chopper giggled and Nami laughed lightly. Zoro looked up at the tangle of hands and at his laughing crewmates.

The detached hand released Luffy and mysteriously vanished. Luffy went back to sulking.

"Aa, thank you, Robin-chan," Sanji said as he returned to the table with a pot in his hands.

"You're welcome, Cook-san." Robin smiled at Sanji.

Zoro's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Robin's usual enigmatic slight smile was another thing about the woman that sent warning signals to his brain. Then, he heard Luffy's joyful cry.

"Not for you, shitty rubber," Sanji muttered, dumping a piece of meat and sweet potato onto Zoro's plate. Zoro grunted his thanks and dug into the extra food. Chewing on the meat, he glanced at Sanji, who was dumping a sweet potato onto his own plate and then tossing the last piece of meat to an eager Luffy, remembering what the cook had said earlier.

He couldn't completely trust Robin as yet, but it was clear that the rest had already accepted her as nakama; and somehow, even with the hidden affairs and mysterious, unnerving smiles, she seemed to fit in with the crew. He guessed there was no harm in giving her a chance.

* * *

Date started: 17 April 2006  
Date completed: 27 April 2006  
Last edited: 7 February 2007


End file.
